The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-08-11
manitomoe pilot.
THURSDAY, AUGUST IL, 1887.
LETTERS FROM HOME.


The beauty and worth Of letters be-
tween those who have left home and
the ones who remain, are connected
with sentiments that no one can APP
preciate who has not sent and received
these letters. They are a tie of affec
tjcn. or, rather an evidence of some
tie, peculiar to people of refinement
and of emotional strength and persist
ence. The practice is not found
among people of low instincts, for they
are not capable of getting out of it the
help and the enjoyment that are so
profita bic to people of keener sensibili-
ties. The bond between parent and
child is easily severed ana neglected
by them, and at an early age the child
shifts for himself before he has gathered
the idea of his dependence on parents
that children have in more advanced
stages of living who require many
years of parental support and counsel
and encouragement in order that they
may be fitted to carry on work and
perform duties of more difficult and
noble character.
Home letter writing is an indication
as a builder of personal character. The
life, perhaps, or to prepare himself in
education for doing SO, and, if he
be not of ignoble blood, he writes
weekly letter to his mother. He con-
fides in her his hopes, his prospects,
his reverses and his successes; his letter
is diary of things done and thought
of doing, of fears and confidence, of
sorrow and joy, of ventures made, of
steps lost and won.
A mother, only mother can reply
to such letters. Her sympathy, advice,
and self-sacrifice, and heartfelt concern
are all truly feminine and motherly.
Her tender heart responds to her boys
trust and condolences, like an Eolian
harp to the wind. The son cannot
but be better and stronger for the
letters to his mother and from her; he
cannot but feel that be has acquitted
himself more capably and honorably,
that he has been more loyal to duty
and rectitude, more faithful to work
undertaken and to men with whom
he has been brought IN association.
Daughters, nowadays, 90 away from
home to earn living in the three
hundred and more occupations that
1IC upon W which, anu We HAY Dt
sure that they keep up correspond
ence with those at home-with
mother, sister or brother. Girls, of
course, are to be depended upon to do
the proper thing in this respect We
know of girl who has lived away
from home for seven years and who
has never failed to write weekly
letter to her mother, and, it may be
added, the mother has also written one
in return every week.
But when the daughter is married
and has the care of household and
children, and probably good deal OF
work to do,-what then? There may
be those who are constant, regular and
frequent in their letter writing to
those who lived with them in the old
home: but can they be expected to do
as well as they did before marriage?
Too often, however, they not only
follow the old INDUCTION and cleve to
the husband, which of course, is as il
should be, but they sever themselves
almost entirely from the old home and
its former inmates. 1t is easy 10 see
how this happens, taking place, as ii
does, gradually, and while cares
absorb the thought and attention and
while new attachments are building
up and maintaining Il new home. The
result is to be expected to consider
able extent, BUTT seems too bad that it
should be Us extreme as it often
is. The young woman. though
wife, may be more truly a
daughter and a sister, and the young
man may be more truly son and
brother, than they often are after leay-
ing home, and letter writing is one of
the best ways of showing it.
The connection between those at
home and those who have departed is
living force III character. in duty
done, in the greenness of affection, in
mutual help and in self help. They
are the refuge of homesickness and the
solace of the distant parent; they
strengthen the child for trials and they
sustain the parent in loneliness.
Truly the families can be recognized
that maintain letter writing with those
who have departed into the walks of
life-they can be recognized by their
paternal, their tilial and their fraternal
affections, by their mutual responsive
ness and assistance.-Good House.
keeping.